The Portland daily press., 1887-12-24

"What would you adviser" asked Mr..
Amory, interested by the girls affeetionate
frankness in behalf of her old friend.
81 live in her house," Susie answered
''and If you will wait until the afternoon,
not too early can tell Miss Lucilla all
about you at noon; and by five o'clock she
will have thought it all over and become
used to the idea and ready to see you. She
will be too glad!"
81 think you are quite right about it,, said
Mr.. Amory, ''and am very greatly obliged
to you. We shall come to my aunt's house
at five o'clock this afternoon.
Violetta, with vague impulse to formu-
late her gratitude. Immediately purchased
two dozen pairs of stockings for her little
bov; and then, taking Susie's plump fingers
in her own, she pressed them cordially.
''Thank you ever so much," she said. Il
know you have always been good to our
aunt, and have done much more to make her
happy than we have yet been able to do"
1t is needless to say that Susie acquitted
herself with great tact in her embassy to
Miss Lucilla. OF course the old lady had
missed her precious ring, had searched for it
in places possible and impossible; had even
| accused the kitten of patting it off with his
| nefarious little paw Butnot under the sofa,
nor behind the stove, nor in a corner of the
| carpet nor even in Juggernauts we'll lined
| basket, was to be found the ruby ring.
| At first, receiving the jewel from Susie,
and hearing the story of the customers who
brought it back to the hosiery counter-Miss
| Lucilla was confused with wonder Then
| light like Christmas star arose in her eyes
and shone throughout her face. Susie Ban
field went away, closing the door softly be-
hind her, and left Miss Lucilla alone with
her memories and her hopes.
In the twilight came to her her nephew.
with his wife and little Alfred, the namesake
of Aunt Lucilas charge. As Susie, with
| her girlish wit had OWNED, Miss Lucilla lad
9Th ought it all over" Her old grief was
changed from leaden to golden; her boy was
trebly her own now in the coming of his son
| and his sons son; she was now upon the
| farther side of the sorrows Of her life, the
side where the light of another world already
| begins to fall upon the shadows of this.
''The old gentlewoman received her kins-
folk with tender composure. 1T seems to
me that have always been.expecting you,"
| she said.
She talked with Maurice Of his father; and
her timid old heart strengthened as he proud
| ly told CT the honorable life that had risen
| up from the ashes of Alfred Amory's repen-
| tance of his early fault. Meanwhile Violet
ia caressed the thin old hand that wore the
! ruby ring and little Alfred played with Jug
gernaut at their feet, and rolled all the
| spools of Aunt Lucilla's workbasket for the
| amusement of himself and the kitten, an ir-
| responsible pair
| After an hour was past, Maurice Amory
| rose to his feet. "Come, Aunt Lucilla," said
he, put ON your bonnet, and Violetta shall
help you get together your traps. We are at
the X Hotel for few days. came to this
city on business; thought. the firm sent me,
but incline now to believe it was my good
angel. Partners don't look the part, and that
is fact. Effectually disguised, and totally
unawares sort of angels they are. We have
pretty little home in Chicago, Auntie; and
we try to live up to our blue china. But we
lack atmosphere and distinction; we are
painfully new and too accentuated Violet
ta's friend, Miss Beacon of Boston, said so to
a mutual acquaintance, who, of course, has
tened to repeat it to my wife. She wasn't
civil, but she was judicious. What we want
to give tone to our little establishment is an
ancestor, sort of tdbleau rirant after Cop
ey viii you come and be all that to us,
and more, Aunt Lueilla, and let ViOletta
and me try to make you happy with us?"
"Me too" added little Alfred, quitting the
society of the kitten.
"Alfred's boys boy" said Maurice hold
ing the child toward his aunt.
The situation trembled ON the verge of the
fearful. 1t was saved by the irrepressible
child.
"Aren't you glad. Aunt Lucilla," he said,
''zat mamma and papa an was in your
kismus stocking? Zere was yoaming tur-
tie in mammals stocking, an she spised me
for putting it in. An / don't know what
will be in mine tomorrow morning, but you
shall have half of it, Aunt Lueilla. But we
was nice presents, wasn't we? All of us in
your kissmus stocking, papa said sop
"Yes, little Alfred," said Aunt Lucilla.
kissing the chl,d, "Auntie's stocking was
full OF happineSs!'
This is, practically, the end Of the story.
But it may be added that Susie Banfeld and
her Fred were married last year,and Violetta
Amory gave to the bride the tr0usseau, and
household linen. selected with charming
judgment. After the wedding, Juggernaut
| with white satin bow ON his neck, formally
removed from the first to the second floor Of
the old house presented by Miss Lucilla to
the young married people, but he divides his
time between their apartments and those of
Mrs Banfeld on the floor below
The Chicago home is happy, having ac-
quired- Maurice declares-the perspective
and chidro-sclro of g real, live ancestor in
the house; and pretty Violetta adores the
dainty graces of the old gentlewoman. Lit
tie Alfred looks to Aunt Lucilla as the un-
failing source of stories bedtime talks and
sugarplums, while in the child the faithful
woman sees again her own Alfred, her little
brother, surrounded by the love and comfort
that are the right of a child, and growing in
sunshine to the manliness that his grand
father attained only through error and grief
The dropped stitches are all taken up and
mended now, and only good gifts fill Aunt
Iiucilla's Christmas Stocking.